The Very Best Path

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August 27, 2017 Speaker: Tim McCardel Series: The Principle of the Path Today’s Message: The Very Best Path

Undeniable Truth: Our failure to trust or those detours can waste years of our lives.  “Direction - not

to God’s ways, leads to painful detours and

- determines our destination.” ~Andy Stanley

Psalm 40:8 “I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart.” Psalm 143:10 “teach me to do Your will, for You are my God…” The Very Best Path What God Desires Most (choose one): ___ to obey Him ___ to be good and go to church ___ to have a close relationship to Him #1. Choices Now… Outcomes Later  Independence is our problem; it takes years, often our

years, to discover that we made

a big mistake. A. Solomon Early On - Overwhelmed at 20—God says: “Ask me for whatever you want.”  Solomon was wise enough to know just how wise he wasn’t [1 Kings 53:7-9, 11-13]

B. Solomon Later On - Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.”  “trust” - the idea of lying helplessly facedown, vulnerable,

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 “lean not” - to prop something up against something else, to be supported by it

Proverbs 3:6 “In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”  “acknowledge” - recognize who God is, to respond properly with submission

#2. What God Desires Most  In the O.T. - God’s

with Israel His people

 In the N.T. - all to have a personal relationship with God

Solomon Goes Off: He trusted his own understanding, “smart politics” [1 Kings 11:1-3, 4, 5] Solomon’s Foolish Choices: Cost him his close relationship with God; God didn’t pull away but rather Solomon’s heart was pulled away (he with wisest man!)  KEY: Submission—not talent, not brains, not info.—is the key to good decision making

Solomon’s Motives: * pride?

* fear?

*lust?

* combination of all 3?

Our Natural Beat: we believe we’re too smart to make stupid choices but we still go ahead and trust ourselves. Solomon’s Dad: David's Story - 1 Samuel 24:1-3, 4, 5, 6-10 David’s Modeling Truth: One never accomplishes the will of God by breaking the law of God, violating the principles of God, or ignoring the wisdom of God. Three Questions: 1. Why do I hesitate to give God full access to every part of my life? 2. What do I fear will happen on the other side of that decision? 3. What is the most difficult area of my life to yield control?  Divine Direction begins with submission.